Draft mechanism for railroad vehicles



March 26. 9 9. M. ALMA- ET AL 1,707,155

DRAFT MECHANISM FOR RAILROAD VEHICLES Filed March 1 0, 192"! Patented Mar. 26, 1929.

UNITED STATES MAXIMILIAN ALMA AND CAR-L EGON ALMA, OF VIENNA, AUSTRIA.

DRAFT MECHANISM FOR RAILROAD VEHICLES.

Application filed March 10, 1927, Serial No.

This invention relates to re-positioning devices for swinging coupling heads of draft mechanisms for railway vehicles.

The invention has reference to repositioning devices of the type in which the repositioning spring is mounted, separate from the draw andbufier springs proper, upon a section of the draft mechanism which is displaceable merely in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, a spring seating or abutment displaceable upon this section and articulated by means of connecting members to the coupling head stem or shank, or to parts held fast thereupon being so arranged that the said spring is placed under stress when the coupling head stem is oscillated or swung out of its central position. In this connection the said spring acts from one section of the draft mechanism upon another section of the draft mechanism articulated thereto for the purpose of rendering the oscillation possible,

Now the present invention has reference to improvements in this known type of re-positioning devices, the object of the improvements being to enable the re-positioning device to be easily mounted, even when owing to the type of construction of the vehicle, or for any other reasons, it is advisable to 80 mount the re-positioning spring not upon the section of the draft mechanism displaceable only in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, but upon the coupling head stem.

The accompanying drawing illustrates in a plan by way of example a construct on of repositioning device embodying the invention." i

(L indicates that sectiono'f the draft mechanism (only partially shown in the drawing) adapted, to be displaced in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle which section may be of any desired construction, and carried by the underframe of the vehicle in any suitable manner desired. It is provided with the'draw and buifer spring means proper of the traction device (not shown). The section ,0, may form either a part of a continu ous or of a non-continuous traction device. I) is the coupling head stem (only partially shown) whichis provided witheny type of coupling device desired, and is pivotally connected by means of a vertical bolt 0 or otherwise with the section a. r

The belt 0 can be guided in the vehicle underframe in any manner desired-and in such wise that in the longitudinal direction 174,371, andin Austria November 30, 1926.

of the vehicle it is displaceable to the necessary extent. (Z is the re-positioning spring of any suitable form arranged on the cou pling head stem 6. e is a stationary spring seating or abutment member which either by means of a bar or pin 6 of square cross section or in any other suitable manner, is securely fastened to the coupling head stem 6. f indicates a displaceable seating or abutment or thrust collar for the other end of the spring d. g are plate like or other shaped members, one of which is located above and theother below the draft mecl1anism and which are fixed upon the draft mechanism section a by means of brace members or in any other way, so that they participate in the movements of the section a. it are plate like or other shaped members located above and below the stem or shank of the coupling head and connecting the'displaceable spring seating or abutment f with the members 9 in a joint like manner, so that when the stem 6 is swung out of position,

they are. also swung laterally. The'connection of the plate members it with the members g is effected by means of slots p and g engaged by pins n and 0. The pins n and 0 are either upon the plate members It, or upon the members 9. In the former case the slots 3) and g are formed in the membersg, and in the latter case in the plate members h. In the constructional form shown the pins are mounted in the plate members h.

The displaceable spring seating or abutment 7' is provided at the to and bottom with pins or extensions for tiie purpose of effecting an articulated connection with the members It. Nuts o retain the parts in engagement. The connection of the spring seating or abutment f with the members I); ean however be effected in any other suitable manner.

The spring d can be set or placed in initial stress beforehand, whereby the action becomes more powerful.

If the inner ends of the coupling head stem 12 are overlapped bythe draft mechanism section a, thus the members gcan if desired be dispensed with, as in this case a direct connection of the members it with the section a can be effected in a manner similar to that described for the connection of the members it with the members 9'.

The method of operation is as follows:

If the stem 6' of the coupling head be swung tothe right (indicated by R in the I drawing) then the connecting members h for that of the displaceable spring are also turned to the ri ht about the pins 0 whereby vthe displaceab e spring seating or abutment f ismoved upon the stem b towards the stationary spring seating or abutment e, so that the spring d is compressed.

Upon releasing the lateral stressing of the stem of the coupling head, the spring (2 causes the re-positioning of the spring seating or abutment and in this way also of the members h an of the stem into the normal position. The same thing is done with the aid of the pins n, when the stem of the coupling headisswung out or oscillatedto the left (indicated by L in the drawing). Upon swinging of the stem. 6 to the right the pins 12 move in the slots p, but upon swinging of the stem to the left then the pins 0 move in the slots q so that the swinging movement is not impeded.

It will be clear that a similar effect is realized when instead of the connection by two pins n and 0 and two slots p and 9 another articulate connection of the members 9 be effected whith the members k, say for example at a point lying in the central longitudinal line. In this case the difference in the effect is merely this, that the stress on the spring (1 on swmging out of the stem is smaller than in the constructional form according to the drawing. It is also clear that'the spring d may be of a type'which is tensioned when under stress, instead of being compressed. For the purpose of providing such a spring the position of the stationary spring seating or abutment e' is exchanged seating or abutment f, carrying the connectmg members h, and the spring is attached to both these spring seatings. Of course the spring seating or abutment f must in order to enable it to effect its displacements be given a suitable amount of space for play.

What we claim is i 1. In a draft mechanism for railroad vehicles, having at the end of the vehicle a section comprising a coupling head with a stem which section is articulated to the next section of the draft mechanism for lateral oscillation of the coupling head stem, a repositioning .device for the coupling head stem, comprising a spring arranged on the said coupling head stem and supported on, a part of the said stem, a displaceable seat for said spring on said stem, connecting members 'which are jointly connected to the said spring seat and to the end of the said section of the draft mechanism articulated to the coupling head stem, so that on swinging of the coupling head stem the said connecting members will also be swung and the said spring seat will be displaced by means of said connecting members, whereby the said spring is stressed and therefore tends to replace the parts in their normal central positions.

2. In a draft mechanism for railroad vehicles, having at the end of the vehicle a section comprising a coupling head with a stem which section is articulated to the next section of the draft mechanism for lateral oscillation of the coupling'head stem, a repositioning .device for the coupling head stem comprising a spring arranged on the said coupling head stem and supported on a part of the said stem, a displaccable seat for said spring on said stem, connecting members jointly connected to the said spring seat, and members held on the said next section of the draft mechanism and connected to said connecting members so that on swinging of the coupling head stem the said connecting members will also be swung and the said spring seat will be displaced, whereby the said spring is stressed MAX'IIMILIAN ALMA. CARL EGON ALMA. 

